At the Edge Again
by I'mAFreeElf
Summary: After the war ends, Harry thinks he has everything-peace, a job, the love of his life-until Ginny breaks up with him. Abandoned by Ginny, Harry is also forced to reckon with more Dark Wizards as an Auror. Backed by the Order of the Phoenix, Harry, Ron, and Hermione realize that they may have won the first war, but a second is surely coming among love and realities.


_Sorry the first chapter is so short, but I just want to create a foundation. Thanks for reading!_

"Ginny," I call as I throw my bag by the door, heading into the kitchen for a glass of water.

The Weird Sisters are playing on the kitchen radio and a cake is on the center of the table. It's a chocolate truffle cake, my favorite; I frown. Ginny never makes anything special like a cake unless it is a special occasion. I rack my brain for a few moments trying to remember if it is Ginny's birthday, but alas it is not. However, it is my birthday soon.

Abandoning the water, I head into the bedroom. Ginny is sitting on the bed reading the Daily Prophet. Her fiery red hair is pulled up in a bun and she's wearing old sweatpants and Ron's Chudley Cannon's t-shirt. When she hears me come in, she looks up revealing a face of anger.

"Hey," I say, "what's with the cake? My birthday isn't for another week."

"I know when your birthday is. I wanted to surprise you. I have some news, but obviously you're too busy with everything else to worry about spending quality time together anymore," Ginny says throwing her paper aside, standing up, and putting her hands on her hips.

I feel myself swallow-she reminds me exactly of Mrs. Weasley.

"To busy with everything else. What is that supposed to mean," I ask.

"Where have you been," Ginny demands looking furious.

"I had some drinks with some of the Aurors and Dora."

I sit on the bed, taking off my socks.

"You didn't think about contacting me and telling me where you are."

"I didn't think about it babe and I'm sorry; what is the special news? I'm here now," I say. Ginny, however, continues to rant.

"Why don't you just go back with your work buddies? I mean work is all you really care about now."

"Work is all I care about. You know that's not true Ginny. I know I have been working a lot because of the reforms, but that's not all I care about."

"Yes it is. I understand you want to help reform but I'm still here to you know. The reform shouldn't be a big deal to you anyways. It's taking over your life, and I barely see you anymore," Ginny yells.

"Did you really just say the reforms shouldn't mean anything to me? I defeated Voldemort because I hated what he stood for, and you helped defeat him. I don't know how you can say the reforms mean nothing to you-but they mean everything to me Ginny," I say.

I cannot believe she is actually saying these words. We almost lost everything during the war-each other and our freedom. Under Fudge, the purebloods and various Ministry members had gone untouched, their actions and crimes ignored. And now these reforms are our way of guaranteeing that someone like Voldemort will never be able to gain power again. And a guarantee that no one will die because of someone like Vodemort. A guarantee that parents won't have to bury their children. Children like Colin and Lavendar.

"What do I mean to you then?"

The question startles me. She must know.

"You mean everything to me too."

"You have a funny way of showing it Harry.''

"When I went searching for Horcruxes, I broke up with you to protect you from Voldemort. How could you say that," I yell now losing my temper.

"Maybe that was a year ago. I never see you anymore and you don't tell me where you're going! And then when I need you you're off doing God knows what! How do expect our relationship to work if we barely see each other?"

"How are we supposed to make this relationship work is if all you do is yell at me when I come home? There's always something wrong. I leave my shoes in front of the door, my books are lying around, or I forgot something at the store for you. I'm not the only one in fault here! I'm stressed out when I come home and all you do is yell at me," I counter back.

I remember one night vividly. That night we had captured Andrew Greengrass, a Death Eater. Ron and I were ecstatic that we had caught him after months of chasing him, until we found two Muggle girls he had tortured. After erasing memories of the pain, we wiped their memories. But I still remember their screams.

I had come home wanting to tell Ginny. But as soon as I took my shoes off, she had yelled at me because I had left my coffee cup out that very morning. Instead of listening to her yell at me, I walked down the hallway and to our bedroom. I think that was the first night that I did not tell Ginny about my day at work.

"I do not yell at you all the time, you know that's not true. Yes, I'm upset when you act like a pig. You-," Ginny says.

"Right now is an example. I've been in the door for less than five minutes and you're already yelling at me. You sit home all day! It's not as if I sit around all day just drinking! I have a job," I yell.

"I do work for the Order when I'm home. And you know I haven't found the right job for me yet. I've told you I don't' know what I want to do yet as a career. We've been talking about this. And you agreed that I should take my time!"

"Do you think I like coming home and having you yell at me? Newsflash I don't."

"Do you think I like barely talking anymore? Well newsflash, Harry I don't."

"You're blaming everything on me when obviously we're both in fault here."

"What I am in fault of," Ginny asks angrily.

"I just told you all the yelling and you acting like I'm some unemployed drunk boyfriend. You're being a bitch." I regret the words as soon as they leave my mouth.

Her face reveals a mask of shock; then it crumples. Ginny gives a sob and heads towards the dresser.

Slowly, I grab her around the waist.

"Ginny, I'm sorry. That was way out of line."

Lately, we have been fighting a lot, and I am sick of it. I just want it to be like those days at Hogwarts where we spent the day by the lake or walking aimlessly on the grounds with our hands entwined together; but this time, I realize that we're not teenagers anymore, and we don't have that time anymore. We've grown up.

"Don't touch me," Ginny whispers angrily with tears streaming down her face. With her wand she conjures a suitcase and sends my clothes flying into it along with my toothbrush and paste, deodorant, my comb, and soap.

"What's this for," I ask looking at the bag knowing the answer already. But I still hope Ginny will change her mind-but she won't.

"Obviously, this relationship isn't working. I'm not going to sit here and pretend that I'm happy, because I'm not," Ginny says tears streaming down her face.

"I am Ginny. I am happy. The relationship is working, this is just a bump."

"You just called me a bitch not ten seconds ago. Seems more like an avalanche to me." She turns to me, tears streaming down her face. "We haven't been happy for months Harry. Every time you come home, we fight. Every time you see me sitting on the couch, we fight."

I want to say she's wrong, but I know she's not. We both know it.

"I said I was sorry," I whisper. "We can work this out Ginny."

"That's what we've been saying for the last few months after every fight. They're so constant, and I can't take the stress anymore Harry. Here, take this," Ginny says handing me the bag and pushing me out of the bedroom.

"Ginny", I say as I try to kiss her, but she pushes me away.

I feel my heart being ripped form my chest.

"Go, just go," Ginny says pushing me towards the door.

"You're being dramatic", I say as she manages to push me out of the door. "Wait, what's the good news?"

But she doesn't answer me.

Just go," she says, slamming the door in my face.

Swearing, I stand in the rain for a few moments on the front porch. I am contemplating going back in and trying to make up with Ginny, until I realize that the best thing for us right now might is space.

But then I remember the night after the war ended.

We were sitting in front of the Black Lake.

She said to me, "No matter what happens, we'll be together. If we can get through a war, we can get through anything. I love you Harry." It was at that moment that I realized I could never be with anyone else but Ginny.

I bang on the door a little harder.

"Ginny, don't you remember what you said to me? You said we could get through anything. You said anything!" But no answer comes-silence meets me.

When I try to go back in, I realize Ginny has set charms around it making it impossible for me to enter.

I turn around and run through the rain trying to burn off some of my steam before I reach my destination-Ron's apartment, needing a place to stay for the night.

As I run, the cars zoom by me-but I keep running.

Ron's apartment is a small one on the noisy streets of London. It is on the fourth level of the complex and I notice all the lights are off. I ring the doorbell multiple times to find Ron isn't home. I contemplate breaking down the door with magic and then fixing it again. But if Ron came home to me randomly in his apartment, Ron would probably hex me thinking of me as a Death Eater.

Realizing that Ron is probably out, I decide on a different plan. Making sure no one is around on the streets, I Apparatate to the Leaky Cauldron. I need a stiff drink.


End file.
